1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method, device and system for analyzing a non-uniform density sample, and more particularly, to a novel non-uniform density sample analyzing method, non-uniform density sample analyzing device and non-uniform density sample analyzing system which are capable of simply and accurately analyzing an in-plane direction distribution state of particle-like matter in the non-uniform density sample.
2. Description of the Related Art
A method for analyzing a particle diameter distribution in a non-uniform density sample such as a porous film by using an X-ray has been newly proposed by the inventors of the present invention (see Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-088656). In this method, a diffuse scattering intensity of the X-ray is measured and the particle diameter distribution is analyzed based on the measured intensity, thereby realizing an excellent analyzing ability.
However, there is yet room for improvement in such an excellent analyzing method so as to achieve another new advantage.
That is, with the non-uniform density sample analyzing method disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-088656, it is difficult to completely analyze the density non-uniformity of an anisotropic non-uniform density sample.
To be specific, a non-anisotropic non-uniform density sample is a sample in which particle-like matter such as a fine particle and pore has a random distribution as shown in, for example, FIG. 1(a). Conversely, as shown in, for example, FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b), an anisotropic non-uniform density sample is a sample in which the distribution of particle-like matter has some regularity or directivity in an in-plane direction. In the example of FIG. 2(b), the particle-like matter is distributed in the in-plane direction with regularity in which clusters each having two pentagons connected to each other are formed.
As for the non-anisotropic non-uniform density sample, if an X-ray scattering curve is measured by scanning an X-ray outgoing angle θout with an X-ray incident angle θin being constant in a condition of, for example, θin=θout+offset ΔΩ, the density non-uniformity of the sample in a direction corresponding to a direction of a scattering vector q shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), i.e., a direction near a normal plane is measured as described in the Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-088656. This is a so-called out-of-plane diffraction measurement.
If this out-of-plane diffraction measurement is directly applied to the anisotropic non-uniform density sample, the non-uniformity of the sample is measured along the scattering vector q in the direction near the normal plane shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b) similar to FIG. 1. This means that the anisotropic non-uniform density sample cannot be analyzed in an in-plane direction of the sample. By contrast, the in-plane direction of the sample is random with the non-anisotropic non-uniform density sample. Therefore, even if a scan direction is changed, the particle-like matter can be observed without any changes and thus no disadvantage occurs. With the anisotropic non-uniform density sample, however, because of the regularity of the particles in the in-plane direction as described above, the particle-like matter is observed differently according to the scan direction. As a result, the particle diameter distribution in the in-plane direction cannot be analyzed with the out-of-plane diffraction measurement.
The present invention has been achieved in light of these situations. Accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a novel non-uniform density sample analyzing method as well as a non-uniform density sample analyzing device and a non-uniform density sample analyzing system which are capable of simply and highly accurately analyzing the distribution state of the particle-like matter in an anisotropic non-uniform density sample in the in-plane direction.